Mark Levinson No. 5909 - High Resolution Wireless Headphones with Active Noise Cancellation (Red)

Product Information

Driving for massive staging can sometimes ruin the density factor of the entire headphone and make it sound thin and stretched. The No. 5909 is quite dense and hefty for a dynamic driver.

Nothing against the red. Just that I like the way the other two colors shimmer and shine more. All of them are gorgeous but I felt like the other colors were more me. :)The noise cancelling fitment on the 5909 is comprehensive but, on paper at least, entirely in keeping with much more affordable rivals. Four microphones compare internal and external noise levels and respond adaptively to external distractions. This can be switched off, used in its standard adaptive setting with high, medium or low modes or switched to ‘awareness’ that allows for voice passthrough to keep you aware of your surroundings; again with a high and low mode. There is one bad peak which we are going to correct anyway. It is bad enough that it is contributing to extra output at that frequency. Inside of that box, is another actual product unit box that includes a hefty zipper case, a few portable travel connectors, one short USB-C to 3.5mm cable and a long extension cable, and some documents from the company. The Focal Bathys and B&W PX8 are serious competitors at better price level, not speaking about the MW75, which is almost the same headphone and almost as good. A comparison between these would be very helpful. :)

Harman has developed its own frequency curve for headphones. The Harman curve is well known in the industry, and one that many headphone manufacturers aim to follow. It is not frequency linear, but instead attempts to mimic the frequency response of a pair of linear speakers playing in a room. By taking the room’s influence into account, the headphones will be perceived more as frequency linear, rather than actually being so. And should you get those thoughts – then yes, Mark Levinson also seeks to follow that curve as best as possible. Photo: Mark Levinson Three levels of noise reduction Noise is attenuated in three different settings: low, high or adaptive. The latter tries to adapt as best as possible to the situation you’re in. I must admit that I always choose high or none at all. But also Awareness mode, which lets ambient sound through instead. And it works fine. While there is a mild lower treble emphasis, I think it is fair to say that Mark Levinson has played it rather safe in the top end; the treble has good extension with a mlld degree of emphasis but then a decrease in presence between 7 and 9KHz which is commonly where a lot of listeners experience fatigue. The Mark Levinson No. 5909 is not an imaging champion, but it doesn’t let me down at all. This entire headphone is hand-tuned and not just random parts put together. They had an idea for how it should sound and they invoked the parts needed to make it that specific way.This moves the driver further away from the ear compared to most models where the driver sits even with the surface of the cup. One major plus about the design is that the inner foam pad and cloth that protects the driver is easily replaceable should the need arise. The Mark Levinson No. 5909 is a middle ground vocal presentation experience, one that is not forward, but not recessed either. It plays it safe and apparently was tuned to the Harman Curve, specifically. ANC is very good to excellent. I don’t have the Sony’s or APM here to compare but after several commutes, I can say I don’t feel the need to have a set with stronger ANC.

In other words, the No. 5909 are going to have to be supernaturally talented if they’re to justify the asking price. DesignExperience the first-ever headphones from Mark Levinson, a pioneer in high-fidelity audio for the past 50 years. Reference-quality sound meets luxurious comfort in a lightweight and durable set of headphones featuring Adaptive Active Noise Cancellation (ANC) that’s perfect for travel. Reveal the hidden details in your music – at home, on the go, or anywhere you find a moment to listen. The bundled audio cables let you enjoy the No. 5909 with different setups. Each of them performed up to standard. Mark Levinson No. 5909 review: Active noise cancellation If you use a normal USB cable at both ends, and connect the other side to your computer, it acts as a DAC+headphone amp. So you can play content digitally to it. This is the digital in, in my tests.